See how other local couples celebrated their big day with wedding stories and ideas from Your Surrey Wedding Real Weddings features.
Georgia and Taylor met online and planned their first date at a bar in London. They clicked right away, and it didn't take them long to realise they were meant to be together. Taylor proposed during a family holiday to Lanzarote. "We went away to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday," says Georgia. "It was really unexpected, so when he asked me to marry him by the sea with all of my family present, I was in complete shock!"
Amanda and Mark started talking online. "To this day, we still don't know who swiped first," laughs Amanda. "Our relationship blossomed, and Mark asked me to be his wife in 2018 while we were in Egypt on an island called Mahmya. I had no idea that he was going to propose, and the whole trip was paradise."
Orlane and Adam met through a dating website in 2018. "I'm not sure how we matched as I lived in London and he was in Dorking, but I think it was a sign that we were meant to be," says Orlane. "We went crazy golfing and had dinner in London, which was the best date ever. Adam and I texted for two months before we met, and we would send massive messages to each other and never get bored of talking. I found out later through his family that he is usually bad at replying to people!"
Lisa and Jamie first laid eyes on each other at work. "Jamie took over my role when I went on a sabbatical to go travelling," says Lisa. "When I returned, we were working in the same team. We got on well and had the same sense of humour and interests. It did take a while for us to eventually pluck up the courage to admit we liked each other more than friends. Jamie asked me to go to the pub for our first date in the same village where we would have our wedding reception eight years later."
Georgie and Lloyd first met and dated when they were teenagers. "We lost touch and didn't see each other for 13 years," says Georgie. "We have a mutual best friend whose family member passed away, and Lloyd contacted me to see if I'd heard the news. We met up after that and immediately started where we left off. He is one of the most caring and loving people I've ever met. He is an amazing dad to his children too."
"Lloyd surprised me with a night away at Beaverbrook in Leatherhead," shares the bride. "To put me off the scent, he spent the weeks before saying we couldn't get married until we'd bought our house, so when he got down on one knee, I was in shock! I cried my eyes out, and we were so happy."
Emily and Matt met at university. "The first time we spoke was in the library," says Emily. "We were introduced by mutual friends and chatted a little. When I got home, he sent me a Facebook message telling me he thought I was really beautiful. Turns out, he didn't think I'd respond, but we started dating and have been together ever since." Matt proposed to Emily in August 2019.
Chelsea and Ryan met at a family wedding. "In the evening, we both had a bit too much drink and kissed on the dancefloor in front of everyone," says Chelsea. "My dad came in between us, and the rest is history!"
Ryan popped the question at the Yosemite National Park in California. "We went on a road trip back in 2018," shares the bride. "Ryan insisted we visit the park, so we spent a couple of days there. We parked at the bottom of a mountain for a picnic. We walked up to the top, which was scary as we had to watch out for bears because of our food!
Jasmine and Stephen met through a mutual friend on a night out in Croydon. "It was far from love at first sight," says Jasmine. "In fact, Stephen thought I was a bit stuck up, and to be honest, I don't think I said two words to him that night, so it's no wonder his first impression wasn't a great one! We met again on New Year's Eve the following month, and again, there was no love story. We went out as part of a large group in Bournemouth and barely remembered saying hello or goodbye to each other. Less than a month later, we ended up on another night out together. I had dyed my hair back to brunette, which apparently made me Stephen's type. He spent most of the night trying to figure out how to make his move. We finally exchanged numbers and had our first date a week later, and the rest is history!"
Charlotte and Ben first laid eyes on each other at sixth form in 2009. "We met properly when volunteering with Handicapped Children's Pilgrimage Trust on a trip to Lourdes," says Charlotte. "We went from only having said a few words to each other to a couple during our week trip to France." Ben popped the question at Charlotte's master's graduation in 2016. "We'd spent the whole day celebrating, and I was about to return my gown when he insisted we visit a spot for another photo," shares the bride. "Little did I know he was actually going to propose. My family knew and recorded the whole thing."
Paileen and Michael met through a mutual friend. "We got to know each other, and I was really attracted to his ability to make everyone laugh and his caring nature," says Paileen. "I had a feeling that he was interested in a relationship but wouldn't make the first move, so I took the plunge and asked him out to dinner where we officially became a couple."